Metamorphosis

The Transfiguration in Byzantine Theology and Iconography

"This book is a valuable addition to the literature on this subject. No one has treated it in depth before, and the work is a substantial contribution to the understanding of the evolution of the theology and visual representation of the Transfiguration." - Sheila Campbell, Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies

"This is an illuminating study . . . both sophisticated and insightful, offering a historically grounded opening to a world so familiar yet so distant. Andreas Andreopoulos has produced a fine work of iconology." - John Behr, professor of Patristics, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

This book taps the rich vein of the blending of theology and art in the Middle Ages, in particular, the evolution of the imagery and theology surrounding the Transfiguration of Christ. In this well-researched volume, the author discusses in detail every philosophical and ritual application of the Transfiguration icon-the mountain, the cloud, the mandorla, the positioning of the apostles, the aspects of the Old Testament prophets, and the image of Christ Himself-taking the reader through an illustrated historical journey.

Andreas Andreopoulos simplifies the complex relationship between the dogma of the early church fathers and Byzantine art and makes it understandable to a non-specialist audience. Nevertheless, theologians, historians, and art historians alike will appreciate the interdisciplinary value of this clearly presented documentation. Andreopoulos's expert use of early patristics texts and Jewish sources, as well as the New Testament and apocryphal writings and pagan sources, elucidates the evolution of art and doctrine that surround this scriptural epiphany.